Description

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in North American women. The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing every year, but early screening programs in some countries have helped reduce the number of deaths. The first part presents the basic information required to understand the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and risk factors of breast cancer. The second part provides a description of the methods used to detect and diagnose breast cancer, and then covers two different case studies in which this information is applied. The third part introduces the indicators used for determination of patient prognosis, discusses the treatment options available to breast cancer patients, and explains how certain treatments are applicable to specific stages of breast cancer.